DESCRIPTION: (Adapted from the Applicant's Abstact): LI-COR has combined solid-state optical technology with infrared fluorescent dye chemistry to detect and quantify DNA products with extremely high sensitivity. The applicant proposes to extend LI-COR's near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence technology to detection of proteins and other macromolecules The low native background of biomolecule fluorescence in the infrared potentially has 1000 times greater sensitivity than competing technologies. The Phase I goal is to detect NIR fluorescent dye labeled IgA, transferrin and dextran traffic across a model system membrane, and to compare their detection sensitivity with the same molecules labeled with 125I. The sensitivity, specificity and linearity of biomolecule detection using NIR dyes synthesized by the applicant for this purpose will be quantified. An existing NIR 2-D scanning system will be improved for reading titer plates and for scanning membranes. Phase II goals are to develop applications of NIR dyes for immunological assays including western blots, slot blots and ELISA and to develop an immunological detection assay for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The applicant plans to commercialize the scanning system and fluorophores for the assay and other biomedical research applications.